8 Jl Retrospective View of the 



Mr. Perry and Mr. Becar, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and are proba- 

 bly not equalled by any thing of the kind in the country. For 

 heating pits, the mode described by us, and illustrated by en- 

 gravings, in our vol. III. p. 23, has been very extensively 

 adopted in the vicinity of Boston, and has been found completely 

 adapted to the purpose; within the past year we have seen three 

 new pits which have been heated in this manner: with some few 

 improvements upon the system, which we have since made, and 

 which we shall probably mention at a future time, we have 

 been enabled to keep up a fine heat, with scarcely the fluctua- 

 tion of a degree throughout the winter season. We think there 

 can be but one question, that it is the best and most economical 

 mode of applying heat to small pits, that has been described. 



Boston and its vicinity has improved, though not to any great 

 extent, the past year. In its immediate neighborhood we do not 

 know of any structures that have been erected. In Portsmouth 

 a fine green-house has been built by an amateur; and in Salem 

 we believe one or two have been put up. Some new plants have 

 been introduced, which will be found under our head of flori- 

 cultural notices. In the cultivation of tulips there has been a 

 taste awakened by the fine exhibition of Mr. Walker, which has 

 been noticed by us (III., p. 235.) If this show is continued 

 every season — and we have understood Mr. Walker to say it will 

 be, if no accident prevents — it will pave the way to a taste for 

 their general growth. Dahlias are now the most noted flower, 

 and the splendid new varieties which have been exhibited the 

 past year bear evidence of the perfection which art in cultivation 

 will attain. Some fine collections of Ghent azaleas have been 

 imported, and in the course of another year we may expect to 

 see some elegant specimens of this beautiful tribe. A few fine 

 seedling pinks and pansies have been raised by Mr. Walker of 

 Roxbury. 



In New York Mr. Thorburn has added to his establishment at 

 Ravenswood, L. I., a geranium house, for their cultivation alone, 

 and has received many of the fine English varieties which have 

 been lately produced from seed. In dahlias New York has 

 equalled if not excelled her sister cities. Mr. Hogg has import- 

 ed most of the new geraniums the past year. 



Floriculture in Philadelphia is " onward, onward; year after 

 year brings here another gay ornament for her gardens or green- 

 houses, and month after month produces another structure, either 

 temporary or permanent, convenient or ornamental." N. Biddle, 

 Esq., is about erecting a range of houses, to combine depart- 

 ments for cultivating plants from all parts of the globe, five hun- 

 dred feet in length. Gen. Robert Patterson has erected a con- 

 servatory and hot-house, in the first style, which is to be en- 

 riched by the finest specimens of plants. J. J. Vanderkemp, 



